Renaissance Downtowns USA and ICO Group – Team Meets with San Bernardino Leaders
The RDICO team lead by (second from the left) Jian Torkan, Principal of ICO Real Estate Group, and Donald Monti, Renaissance Downtowns USA’s President and CEO talk to the team about the vision is for a mixed-use development. Seated on the far left is David Martinez, Publisher of the of the Inland Empire Business Journal and executive director of the Inland Empire International Business Association of Southern California.
RDICO’s vision for the City of San Bernardino’s downtown is “to transform development patterns for the entire region by demonstrating how a disinvested community can be reinvented in a manner that includes all San Bernardino residents and business alike,” said Don Monti, CEO of Renaissance Downtowns USA.
(San Bernardino, Calif.) The RDICO team lead by Jian Torkan, Principal of ICO Real Estate Group, and Donald Monti, Renaissance Downtowns USA’s President and CEO, recently met with downtown San Bernardino business and property owners, county and city officials, and members of the San Bernardino Area Chamber of Commerce, Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce, and held several meetings with community members and organizations during their week-long project-related meetings in San Bernardino.
“The entire series of meetings were a complete success,” said RDICO’s Project Manager Ernesto Hidalgo. “We will continue this collaborative community engagement process because it really does work.”
The RDICO partnership of Renaissance Downtowns USA and ICO Real Estate Group was selected by the City of San Bernardino as Master Developer for Downtown San Bernardino.
“The vision is for a mixed-use development which would include commercial, retail, restaurant, entertainment, and mixed-income housing opportunities centered around the creation of construction jobs, permanent jobs and careers, as well as entrepreneurial opportunities for all San Bernardino residents,” said Monti.
San Bernardino downtown building owners Howard Freeman, of realicore, CPA, Broker, and Jack Katzman, CEO of ABO Real Estate, ask questions about the vision is for a mixed-use development at the Double Tree Hotel in San Bernardino. San Bernadino Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Judy Penman watches in the background.
“This is just the beginning of many vision interactions between the RDICO Team, PlaceWorks (the City of San Bernardino’s designated planning firm), City Staff and the community at-large to ensure that this long-awaited project becomes a reality,” said Torkan.
“Given its unique characteristics, San Bernardino has the potential to transform development patterns for the entire region by demonstrating how a disinvested community can be reinvented in a manner that includes all the City’s residents and business alike,” said Monti.
Carl M. Dameron, creative director of Dameron Communications, Don Monti, RDICO partner and Gerhard Mayer of GGLO, survey the now-closed Carousel Mall, Woolworth Building, and surrounding area, to enable the RDICO Team to better understand the necessary parameters for moving forward. The tour was led by San Bernardino City Manager Rob Field, and Community and Economic Development Director Michael Huntley.
San Bernardino City Manager Rob Field, and Community and Economic Development Director Michael Huntley, led a tour of the now-closed Carousel Mall, Woolworth Building, and surrounding area, to enable the RDICO Team to better understand the necessary parameters for moving forward.
“In order for this momentum to escalate, the RDICO Team must continue their mission to further community support from the people of San Bernardino for this vision to finally become a reality,” said Monti.
RDICO adheres to the Triple-Bottom-Line principles of socially, environmentally, and economically responsible development.
San Bernardino Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Judy Penman brought together key downtown Business owners to interact the RDICO team during their week-long project-related meetings in San Bernardino.
“The time is now. If not now, when?” said Monti.
For more information and updates on the project, go to SanBernardinoDowntown.com.
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